Athletic Events History

Athletics Introduction

Athletic refers to a wide range of activities that include running, walking, jumping and throwing contests. In the United States, these forms of competition are usually known as track and field (or simply track). In most other English-speaking countries they are referred to simply as athletics.- This article provides all you need to know about the history, the programming, organizational arrangements and running of events, rules and techniques for each specific event where it has been so far held internationally (mostly at the Olympics), sportsmen who have excelled in their fields After all these athletes turned up on any playing field they came their names were lost in time.

Track-and-field athletics is the oldest form of organized sport, deriving from such simple human activities as running, walking, jumping and throwing things. How things have changed in modern times! The sports that had in six days attracted nearly two million spectators at its highest point and now stands completely forgotten are most truly and literally international. About every country in the world does something analogous to track and field athletics. Most countries send their men and women teams to the Olympic Games, which are held once every four years and where track and field is an officially recognized sport. There also are a number of intercontinental championship meets, such as the European, Commonwealth, African, Pan American and Asian Games. The Great International Season – Every four years at world level.

As many as two dozen distinct events come under the broad title athletics. In a meet, these events are generally held outdoors. The outdoor running events are conducted on a 400-metre or 440-yard oval track; field events (jumping and throwing) take place either within the track’s perimeter or in adjacent areas.

In many parts of the world–notably North America and Europe–sport goes indoors for the winter months; there is not enough room to hold some meets and other types of competition have to be modified.

Cross-country running, this makes a separate but related competition within track-and-field athletics. The various types of countryside and parkland on which it takes place are as different from fast-paced competition tracks as can be imagined.

The rules for all international and national competitions are set and enforced by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) and its member bodies in each country. The IAAF also authenticates all world records.

Events

With the exception of relay races, athletic events are individual sports. Nonetheless, they tally athletes’ performances together by country at international championships and in road races as well as cross country, the positions and times of top athletes may be combined to produce a team winner.

World Athletics governs six disciplines which make up all forms of athletics at present: track and field, road running, race walking, cross country running, mountain running, and trail running; it added mountain running in 2003 and trail running in 2015.

Other forms of competitive running exist that are not under World Athletics. High-altitude mountain running, described as skyrunning and recognized by the International Skyrunning Federation (ISF), is governed by the International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation rather than World Athletics. Typically held in skyscrapers, competitive stair climbing event is variously called vertical running (as explained by the ISF) or tower running (as respectively described by the Tower running World Association). Snowshoe running, a winter sport like cross country running, is governed by the World Snowshoe Federation, differs from it only in that athletes wear snowshoes from over deep snow on an open, well-compacted trail meaning no obstacles for 10 kilometers, and then rolling off onto grass at the end now held as if barefoot for perhaps another kilometer with worse footing in a 1/3 mile section protected by trees contending upon that clear division between swamp and bog–complete control over bodyweight or good chance of sinking, sometimes beyond recovery. The International Association of Ultrarunners organizes ultra running, an international discipline that has been popular in the United States for many years now although it is relatively new in Europe and Asia. In addition, long-distance, multi-day events are associated with World Athletics through the IAU although many do not fit exactly into any one  category there.

It was in the late 19th century that track and field competitions appeared. Although athletes represented universities, military units and sports clubs, they normally came from rival institutions. Classified by their expertise, participating athletes may engage in one or more events. Both men and women take on track and field. Indoor Track & Field and outdoor track and field are the two forms to which track and field comes. Most indoor competitions take place during the winter season and outdoor events are generally held in the summer.

Road running are primarily long distance running events held on courses that are made up of pavements or tarmac. On occasion, the finish line at major events is in a main stadium track or on the field. In addition to being a common recreational sport, the elite level of long distance races particularly marathons is a high profile aspect in athletics. Road racing events can be of any distance, but the most common and popular races are the marathon, half marathon, 10km and 5km. The marathon is the only road running event in the IAAF World Championships in Athletics and the Summer Olympic Games, but there is an IAAF World Half Marathon Championships annually as well. It is also the only road race in the World Para Athletics Championships and in the Summer Paralympic Games. The World Marathon Majors series features six of the most prestigious marathons at elite level: the Berlin, Boston, Chicago, London, New York City and Tokyo Marathons.

Held in the open air on courses such as grass fields, woodland trails and Earth, cross country running is the most naturalistic of all athletic events. Runners are scored both individually and as part of a team. The competitions are typically long-distance runs of 3 kilometers or more in length and are normally held in the fall and winter months. Cross country’s top performers at the international level typically participate in both long distance track events and road races.

Racewalking is a form of competitive walking usually conducted on roads out in the open air, although the event also uses running tracks sometimes. Race walking is the only event in athletics in which it is necessary for judges to look out for the technique of athletes. Race walkers must constantly have a foot in contact with the ground and their advancing leg must be straightened, not bent at the knee failure to follow these rules leads to disqualification from the race.